Portable item transfer container

Abstract

A portable item transfer container typically includes an item storage unit and an item transfer unit configured to (i) dispense items stored in the item storage unit and (ii) receive items and store the items in the item storage unit. The container also typically includes a memory, a processor, and an item transfer application stored in the memory. The item transfer application is typically configured to: receive an activity request from a user, wherein the activity request includes (i) a request to withdraw items or (ii) a request to store items; authenticate an identity of the user; determine that the location of the container is within an authorized region of the user; and in response to authenticating the identity of the user and determining that the location of the portable item transfer container is within the authorized region of the user, process the activity request.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A portable item transfer container, comprising:
 an item storage unit; 
 an item transfer unit configured to (i) dispense one or more first items stored in the item storage unit and (ii) receive one or more second items and store the one or more second items in the item storage unit, wherein the item transfer unit comprises:
 an input mechanism for receiving the one or more second items via an input portal and storing the one or more second items in an input receptacle and the item storage unit; 
 a transfer mechanism for moving the one or more second items stored in the input receptacle to an output receptacle; and 
 an output mechanism for dispensing the one or more first items via an output portal; 
 
 a secure physical housing enclosing an internal cavity, wherein the item transfer unit and the item storage unit are located in the internal cavity within the secure physical housing; 
 the input portal, the input portal being located in the secure physical housing configured for receiving the one or more second items from a user; 
 the output portal, the output portal being located in the secure physical housing configured for dispensing the one or more first items from the portable item transfer container; 
 the input receptacle, the input receptacle being located proximate the input portal configured for storing the one or more second items; and 
 the output receptacle, the output receptacle being located proximate the output portal configured for temporarily storing the one or more first items; 
 an image capture device; 
 a communication device; 
 a memory; 
 a processor; 
 an item inventory stored in the memory; and 
 an item transfer application stored in the memory, executable by the processor, and configured for:
 receiving an activity request from the user, wherein the activity request comprises (i) a request to withdraw the one or more first items or (ii) a request to store the one or more second items; 
 authenticating an identity of the user; 
 determining (i) an authorized region of the user and (ii) a location of the portable item transfer container; 
 comparing the authorized region of the user and the location of the portable item transfer container and determining that the location of the portable item transfer container is within the authorized region of the user; and 
 in response to authenticating the identity of the user and determining that the location of the portable item transfer container is within the authorized region of the user, processing the activity request; 
 wherein, if the activity request comprises the request to withdraw the one or more first items, processing the activity request comprises:
 determining, based on the item inventory, that the one or more first items are located in the item storage unit; 
 transmitting, via the communication device, a withdrawal authorization request to a processing system; 
 receiving, via the communication device, an authorization from the processing system; 
 in response to determining that the one or more first items are located in the item storage unit and receiving the authorization from the processing system, dispensing, via the item transfer unit, the one or more first items; and 
 updating the item inventory to reflect that the one or more first items have been dispensed; 
 
 wherein, if the activity request comprises the request to store the one or more second items, processing the activity request comprises:
 receiving the one or more second items, via the item transfer unit, and storing the one or more second items in the item storage unit; 
 capturing an image, via the image capture device, of each of the one or more second items; 
 processing the image of each of the one or more second items to identify each of the one or more second items; 
 updating the item inventory to reflect that the one or more second items have been received; and 
 transmitting, via the communication device, a storage notification to the processing system indicating that the one or more second items have been stored by the user. 
 
 
 
     
     
       2. The portable item transfer container according to  claim 1 , comprising a geo-positioning device, wherein the item transfer application is configured for determining the location of the portable item transfer container via the geo-positioning device. 
     
     
       3. The portable item transfer container according to  claim 1 , comprising a user interface, wherein the item transfer application is configured for receiving, via the user interface, the activity request from the user. 
     
     
       4. The portable item transfer container according to  claim 1 , wherein the item transfer application is configured for receiving, via the communication device, the activity request from a mobile device of the user. 
     
     
       5. The portable item transfer container according to  claim 1 , wherein the activity request comprises the request to withdraw the one or more first items. 
     
     
       6. An item transfer system, comprising:
 the portable item transfer container according to  claim 5 ; and 
 the processing system, wherein the processing system is configured for:
 receiving the withdrawal authorization request from the portable item transfer container; 
 determining that the user is authorized to withdraw the one or more first items; and 
 in response to determining that the user is authorized to withdraw the one or more first items, transmitting the authorization to the portable item transfer container. 
 
 
     
     
       7. The item transfer system according to  claim 6 , wherein:
 the request to withdraw the one or more first items comprises a request to withdraw cash of a withdrawal amount; 
 determining that the user is authorized to withdraw the one or more first items comprises determining that an account balance of the user is greater than the withdrawal amount; and 
 the processing system is configured for reducing the account balance by the withdrawal amount. 
 
     
     
       8. The portable item transfer container according to  claim 1 , wherein the activity request comprises the request to store the one or more second items. 
     
     
       9. An item transfer system, comprising:
 the portable item transfer container according to  claim 8 ; and 
 the processing system, wherein the processing system is configured for receiving the storage notification from the portable item transfer container. 
 
     
     
       10. The item transfer system according to  claim 9 , wherein:
 the one or more first items comprises cash or one or more checks; 
 processing the activity request comprises determining an aggregate amount of the one or more first items and notifying the processing system of the aggregate amount; and 
 the processing system is configured for increasing an account balance of the user by the aggregate amount. 
 
     
     
       11. The portable item transfer container according to  claim 1 , wherein the item transfer application is configured for:
 receiving the one or more second items, via the input portal; 
 storing, via the input mechanism, the one or more second items in the input receptacle; 
 capturing an image, via the image capture device, of each of the one or more second items; 
 processing the image of each of the one or more second items to identify an item type for each of the one or more second items; 
 based on identifying an item type for each second item of the one or more second items in the input receptacle, (i) storing the second item, via the input mechanism, in the item storage unit based on identifying that the second item is of a predetermined item type, or (ii) transferring, via the transfer mechanism, the second item to the output receptacle, based on identifying that the second item is not associated with the predetermined item type; and 
 based on determining that (i) the input receptacle does not contain any of the one or more second items and that (ii) the output receptacle has at least one second item of the one or more second items, transferring, using the transfer mechanism, the at least one second item that is not associated with the predetermined item type from the output receptacle for storage in the input receptacle. 
 
     
     
       12. The portable item transfer container according to  claim 1 , wherein the item transfer application is configured for:
 receiving the activity request from the user to withdraw the one or more first items; 
 in response to determining that the one or more first items are located in the input receptacle, determining a minimum number of first items to be moved for dispensing the one or more first items; 
 transferring, via the transfer mechanism, the minimum number of first items from the input receptacle to the output receptacle; and 
 for each first item of the minimum number of first items in the output receptacle, (i) dispensing, via the output mechanism, the first item through the output portal, based on identifying that the first item matches the user request, or (ii) transferring, via the transfer mechanism, the first item to the input receptacle for storage, based on identifying that first item does not match the user request. 
 
     
     
       13. A method of transferring physical items via a portable item transfer container, comprising:
 providing the portable item transfer container, the portable item transfer container comprising:
 an item storage unit; 
 an item transfer unit configured to (i) dispense one or more first items stored in the item storage unit and (ii) receive one or more second items and store the one or more second items in the item storage unit, wherein the item transfer unit comprises:
 an input mechanism for receiving the one or more second items via an input portal and storing the one or more second items in an input receptacle and the item storage unit; 
 a transfer mechanism for moving the one or more second items stored in the input receptacle to an output receptacle; and 
 an output mechanism for dispensing the one or more first items via an output portal; 
 
 a secure physical housing enclosing an internal cavity, wherein the item transfer unit and the item storage unit are located in the internal cavity within the secure physical housing; 
 the input portal, the input portal being located in the secure physical housing configured for receiving the one or more second items from a user; 
 the output portal, the output portal being located in the secure physical housing configured for dispensing the one or more first items from the portable item transfer container; 
 the input receptacle, the input receptacle being located proximate the input portal configured for storing the one or more second items; and 
 the output receptacle, the output receptacle being located proximate the output portal configured for temporarily storing the one or more first items; 
 an image capture device; 
 a communication device; 
 a memory; 
 a processor; 
 an item inventory stored in the memory; and 
 an item transfer application stored in the memory and executable by the processor; 
 
 receiving an activity request, via the item transfer application, from the user, wherein the activity request comprises (i) a request to withdraw the one or more first items or (ii) a request to store the one or more second items; 
 authenticating, via the item transfer application, an identity of the user; 
 determining, via the item transfer application, (i) an authorized region of the user and (ii) a location of the portable item transfer container; 
 comparing, via the item transfer application, the authorized region of the user and the location of the portable item transfer container and determining that the location of the portable item transfer container is within the authorized region of the user; 
 in response to authenticating the identity of the user and determining that the location of the portable item transfer container is within the authorized region of the user, processing, via the item transfer application, the activity request; 
 wherein, if the activity request comprises the request to withdraw the one or more first items, processing the activity request comprises:
 determining, based on the item inventory, that the one or more first items are located in the item storage unit; 
 transmitting, via the communication device, a withdrawal authorization request to a processing system; 
 receiving, via the communication device, an authorization from the processing system; 
 in response to determining that the one or more first items are located in the item storage unit and receiving the authorization from the processing system, dispensing, via the item transfer unit, the one or more first items; and 
 updating the item inventory to reflect that the one or more first items have been dispensed; 
 
 wherein, if the activity request comprises the request to store the one or more second items, processing the activity request comprises:
 receiving the one or more second items, via the item transfer unit, and storing the one or more second items in the item storage unit; 
 capturing an image, via the image capture device, of each of the one or more second items; 
 processing the image of each of the one or more second items to identify each of the one or more second items; 
 updating the item inventory to reflect that the one or more second items have been received; and 
 transmitting, via the communication device, a storage notification to the processing system indicating that the one or more second items have been stored by the user. 
 
 
     
     
       14. The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the activity request comprises the request to withdraw the one or more first items. 
     
     
       15. The method according to  claim 14 , comprising
 receiving, via the processing system, the withdrawal authorization request from the portable item transfer container; 
 determining, via the processing system, that the user is authorized to withdraw the one or more first items; 
 in response to determining that the user is authorized to withdraw the one or more first items, transmitting, via the processing system, the authorization to the portable item transfer container. 
 
     
     
       16. The method according to  claim 15 , wherein:
 the request to withdraw the one or more first items comprises a request to withdraw cash of a withdrawal amount; 
 determining that the user is authorized to withdraw the one or more first items comprises determining that an account balance of the user is greater than the withdrawal amount; and 
 the method comprises reducing, via the processing system, the account balance by the withdrawal amount. 
 
     
     
       17. The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the activity request comprises the request to store the one or more second items. 
     
     
       18. The method according to  claim 17 , comprising:
 receiving, via the processing system, the storage notification from the portable item transfer container. 
 
     
     
       19. The method according to  claim 18 , wherein:
 the one or more first items comprises cash or one or more checks; 
 processing the activity request comprises determining an aggregate amount of the one or more first items and notifying the processing system of the aggregate amount; 
 the method comprises increasing, via the processing system, an account balance of the user by the aggregate amount.